City council delays decision to help out cash-strapped Windsor Express

The Windsor Express come together before they take on the Island Storm in Game 7 of the NBL championship final at the WFCU Centre in Windsor on Thursday, April 17, 2014. (TYLER BROWNBRIDGE/The Windsor Star)

The cash-strapped Windsor Express did not have their call for help answered by city council last night, but the basketball club is still hopeful the politicians will cut them a financial break for the upcoming season.

Team president and CEO Dartis Willis was in front of council Monday night asking them to waive fees that would save the organization an estimated $115,000 a season.

But waiving rental costs for the WFCU Centre and eliminating surcharges for complimentary tickets the team hands out in order to draw larger crowds would be a burden to the taxpayers. Council rejected the request from the team and asked city staff to try once again to come up with creative solutions that could help the team out without costing the city so much money.

Willis maintains that the upcoming third season is a crucial year for the team, which will become more profitable if they survive.

“You can get to Windsorites if you keep knocking on the doors. I think we’ll see the growth in year three and year four,” he said.

City staff urged council to deny the teams’ request. Staff suggested council revert to the agreement the city had for the 2012-2013 season, which would require the Express pay $4,530 per game for rent and allow the city to collect all revenue from concession sales. Under that agreement, the city charged the team $1 on all tickets except for 150 complimentary tickets.

The team was asking the city waive the per-game rental cost and the $1 ticket surcharge for an unlimited number of complimentary tickets.

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The Jesus flag is not welcome at city hall. Councillors agreed Monday night with a report from city administration to deny a request to fly a flag in support of the annual March for Jesus scheduled for Aug. 22.